Camp Fire Central Oregon teens will launch a new pilot program: a Youth Advisory Council to the City of Bend.

In addition to all the great activities being offered to teens through our Teen Connects Service and Leadership Program, wheels are in motion for the creation of a Youth Advisory Committee, in partnership with the City of Bend.

The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is a group that focuses on creating a space for teenagers to share their opinions, concerns, and ideas about the issues that are important to them with Bend City Council and work on projects that address these issues.

Between January and March, the teens participating in this pilot program will start the legwork of creating its mission statement, statement of inclusivity, and short and long-term goals. They will also formalize the recruitment process, ensuring that it has a diverse representation of the many youth populations of Bend. In addition, they’ll pursue strategies around building relationships with various groups around Bend (e.g., school superintendents, non-profits, the community college, etc.) and the endorsement of city council, along with establishing a process around hearing concerns, voting on which topics to focus on for the season, presenting to council, and working on projects associated with each topic.

After three months, the YAC will present its work to the full city council at a roundtable discussion, also presenting how YACs partners with councils in other cities so youth voice is being heard and consulted. Once the council has seen the results of this pilot program (ensuring DEI accessibility), council will decide on how the relationship with the YAC will work best. The results of the pilot program will impact councils future decision to inform its endorsement for the next year, however, YAC is being fully run and funded by Camp Fire Central Oregon.

For more information or to inquire about joining the YAC, contact Program Manager Zafiro Larsen at zafiro@campfireco.org, (541) 205-9069.